April 3, 2010

Our Birth Story!

This is going to be a detailed post, since it is going to be my way of logging the birth of my babes.

On March 26th, the day started with me hogging down a heavy breakfast, since my OB had said I could eat/drink 8 hrs prior to the C-section! I managed to get a good nights sleep and was pretty fresh for the procedure. I cheated a little and probably had around 5 oz of water in those 8 hrs... my throat was way too dry... and I had done this during IVF ER and things seemed okay then!

We (my parents, husband and I) left for the hospital at around 0130 pm. There was some confusion with my name during the admitting and pre-admission testing (my name is way too long and doesn't fit on the drivers license... and the hospital likes to keep the name consistent with the id... and I didn't want my name to be listed in an inappropriate way)... so we had to get that fixed with some other legal id as a proof. We reached the L&D check in desk at around 0200 pm. Once that was fixed we were all set for the c-section. We were then taken in to the recovery room at around 0245 pm. There they had to draw my blood again (the same testing as the pre-admission testing) because of the name confusion. That took some time. The babies heart beats (NST) and my blood pressure was monitored. I was given an IV and some antibiotics. The anaesthesiologist stopped by and chatted with us. We had a small conversation about my IVF and it seems that he knows my RE personally, and they were going in for ER the next day! It was humbling to see some one who is involved day in and day out in delivering babies going through the same procedure we had been through! My OB arrived at around 0345, we chatted for a few minutes, and then signed a few documents. He checked my vital stats and meds to make sure we were ready for the surgery and shortly after we were whisked away to the OR. My husband had changed into his scrubs and was asked to wait outside the OR while I was prep'ed. I was in the OR by 0400 pm. The spinal anesthesia wasn't as bad over all... though momentarily it hurt pretty bad.

Things moved very swiftly there after! My husband was with me in a short while. When the surgery started, I could sense tugging and pulling, but couldn't tell a thing of what was going on. I was consciously trying to pay attention to what was being said. My Blood pressure was pretty stable most of the time... but later it started dropping and I felt quite dazed. Things seemed a little mumbled and I was trying not to get zoned out. I was given some meds to stabilize my blood pressure.

And then, at 0426 pm our baby boy was born weighing 5 lbs 12 oz... tears started rolling down my cheeks, I just couldn't stop them. My husband almost ran to see the baby, but he was asked to wait till they cleaned him up. Our girl followed him at 0427 pm weighing 6 lbs 3 oz. They scored a 9, 9 and 6, 9 on APGAR score respectively. My husband clicked a few pictures while they were being weighed and swaddled. Then the nurses brought them over to my husband (who was then seated by my head). Both the babies were very alert. After few pictures with my husband, nurses put the babies right next to my cheeks. Our daughter looked right into my eyes and that piercing look is something I will never forget! Our nurses took our first family pictures.

Our babies and my husband soon left for newborn nursery while I was being cleaned and stitched up. That one hour just flew by and by 0500 pm, I was out of OR and into the Recovery room. They took vitals of babies in the nursery. Our daughter and son measured at 19 inches. Our daughter's blood sugar came low (40 and 44) and therefore they decided to feed her first meal right away.

I was in the Recovery room after 0500 pm. It took for ever for my numbness to wear off (I couldn't wiggle my toes or move my lower body at all)... as a result, I was in the recovery for almost 2.5 hrs. I was moved to my room at around 0800 pm and was so anxious to see our babies. My husband and parents had been visiting them while I was in the Recovery. Our babies made their grand entrance at around 0900 pm! I tried to put them to my breast, but they were way too sleepy! I had requested for a breast pump, which had arrived by then... so after cuddling the babies for some time, I started pumping. It was a great relief to see some colostrum! I think I actually had around 25-30 cc colostrum at the first attempt!

We sent the babies to the nursery that night... I continued pumping (4-6 times in a day) through the night and the next two days. My milk came in in less than 48 hours! I tried to latch the babies on to my breast a couple of times in those two days, but it wasn't very successful! The lactation consultant at the hospital was not available over the weekend. So we kinda had to wait till Monday. Though the nurses were great help in getting me started. It seems I have "inverted" nipples (which I never had imagined was the case)... so the latch assist came pretty handy (and still does). My left nipple is more so than the right. So, my right one had been more active than the left one till we figured things out!

Our boys blood group is the same as mine and our girls blood group doesn't match mine, so that means she had positive coombs, so I guess her chances of having jaundice was higher... so she was tested for the same. Her readings were on the lower end of the high billurubin count... so she was continuously monitored till we were discharged from the hospital (and we have been going to the Ped to monitor it as well after coming home).

As far as my state was concerned, I was okay till Saturday afternoon (till all the C-section meds were in)... but once that started wearing off... I was pretty miserable. I could hardly get up, move or walk. A trip to the bathroom (after the catheter was removed on Saturday afternoon) was 30 min long! So, we ended up leaving the babies in the nursery through the nights (during our hospital stay), while I pumped a couple of times. The pain continued for almost a week and the only thing that helped me was Percocet! I am now occasionally taking Motrin if I have a rough day. It has taken almost 2 weeks for swelling on my feet to go away (I had no swelling during the pregnancy).

Over all the C-section and the stay at the hospital went pretty well and we were happy to bring the babies home on Tuesday, March 30, 2010.

The swelling after a c-section is not fun. I was pretty swollen for a good while after having Bug. But keeping those feet raised does it's bit to help. Of course, when you need to be up doing stuff, they look like basketballs on the ends of your legs. Glad you are feeling better on that front now.

Sounds like the kids are doing wonderfully overall and they are just throwing you the standard crazy curve balls to keep you on your toes in these early days. And you are rolling with it like an ace mom!

About Me

Our journey from Baby To Be to Twin Miracles in our Life! This blog was started off with a quest to answer questions and log new development in my IF world (related to PCOS). We were blessed with boy-girl twins on March, 2010 (born at 37w1d) after a successful IVF.